Non-entangling, self-opening, resiliently closed hair clip



Jan. 8, 1963 A. CALDORA 3,072,127

NON-ENTANGLING, SELF-OPENING, RESILIENTLY CLOSED HAIR CLIP Filed April22, 195'? a lllli'iiiiimiiiii .55 36 .38 3g I2- 1 [1&5

mmunm ""3 -um lmnn nllllll if I I mm D1 107 100 !0/ 05 /05 INVENTORArmandcaldafiw ATTORNEY tts arr/2,127 NUN-ENTANGLING, SELF-OPENWG, RESE-IENTLY CLUSED HAIR CLIP Armand Caldera, 2226 W. 42nd St., Brooklyn, N.Y.Filed Apt. 22, 1957, Ser. No. 654,260 2 Claims. (Cl. 132-48) the hair byreason of its inherent resilient action, without the need of prying thelegs of the clip apart by the fingernails or teeth.

Another object is to provide a novel hair clip or resilient, readyopening hair closure member which may be readily actuated by pressurebetween the fingers without prying action and which will snugly graspthe hair without undue pressure thereon.

Another object is to provide a novel hair clip arrangement which willavoid tangling with the air and which may be readily formed fromtempered sheet metal mate rials by relatively simple stamping andassembling opera tions.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detaileddescription set forth below, it being undersood, however, that this moredetailed description is given by way of illustration and explanationonly and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope andspirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects it has been found to be mostsatisfactory according to one embodiment of the present invention toform a clip either preferably in one piece or as a second choice of twopieces which consists of flat, elongated resilient prongs, which prongsare longitudinally pressed together by their own integral resiliency.

In the preferred form the elongated legs are die punched in one piece ortwo pieces from a single strip of material and the legs are desirablycaused to be superimposed upon each other or preferably fit between oneanother so as to give a clamping action by reason of the leg of one sidebeing resiliently pressed beyond or between the two legs on the otherside.

At the base of the clips desirably the clips are caused to havereversely directed protuberant convex portions which when pressed willresult in opening the legs of the clips from one another. The baseportion with the reversely projecting portions may be formed integrallyby bending the elongated strip of material or it may be formed byinterengaging the strips of material so that there will beinterconnecting slots and prongs which will tend to hold the legs inclamped position against the hair unless pressure is applied to thejunction portion of the clip between the fingers.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts ashereinafter more specifically described, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention,but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modificationscan be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereuntoappended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingparts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an elongated strip of Met metal formed tobe bent into a one-piece integral hair clip;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view taken upon the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view partly in section showing the metalpiece of FIGS. 1 and 2 after it has been bent into a hair clip;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of one leg structure of an alternativetwo-piece clip arrangement;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the other leg structure of a two-piececlip device which is designed to be assembled with the leg structureFIGURE 4 to form a complete clip;

FIGURE 6 is a side sectional view illustrating the final clip assemblyof FIGURES 4 and 5 when the two elements have been assembled together;

FIGURE 6a is a fragmentary top elevational view of an alternative baseconstruction of the clip;

FIGURE 6b is a side elevational view in section of the base structure ofFIG. 6a assembled into a clip.

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of another leg structure of a still furtheralternative construction;

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the other leg structure to be assembledwith FIGURE 7 to form the complete clip;

FIGURE 9 is a side sectional view of the combined clip formed byassembling the legs of FIGURES 7 and 8 together.

FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of a one-piece integral clip constructionstill different from those shown in FIGS. 1 to 9; and

FIGURE 11 is a side sectional view taken upon the line 11-1l of FIG. 10.

Referring to FIGS. l3, the device as stamped out from a sheet of metalconsists of two legs A and B which are designed to press against oneanother as indicated in FIGURE 3 in the final clip which are providedwith the slotted portion C to enable reverse bending of the clip and thereversely looped portion D by which the legs upon pressure may beseparated into the dot and dash line position, as shown in FIGURE 3.

It will be noted in the form as shown that the legs A and B are of thesame width and length and will meet together at their ends 10 as shownin FIG. 3. The base of the leg A at C has the side bridged portions 11and the central slit portion 12. The base of the leg B directly adjacentthe slotted portion C has the loop D with the side legs 13 and 14 andthe curved base 15.

The strip as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be bent into final clip form asshown in FIG. 3. When this is done the loop D will project through theslotted portion C and the coil 16 will form the end of the clip. Thesemi-circular portion D as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is caused to projectthrough the slot 12 so that the top of the bulge or bow D will besubstantially above the leg A and the circular portion 16.

When one finger is pressed against the bulge 19 op posite the bulge 20in the directions indicated by the arrow 17 at the bottom and the arrow18 at the top, the legs will be opened from the solid line position tothe dot and dash line position of FIG. 3, permitting a strand of hair tobe inserted between the legs. It will be noted that it is not possibleto entangle the hair or the hair net and that the hair may be readilyslipped out of the clip.

In the embodiment of FIGS 4, 5 and 6, the leg structure E is formed inone piece and stamped from metal while the leg structure F is formed ofanother piece. When the structures E and F are assembled together, acomplete clip, as shown in FIG. 6, Will be formed.

As shown in FIG. 4 the leg structure E consists of the side members 25with the cross members 26 and 27 and the outwardly extending legs 28. Atthe base portion 29 a tongue 30 with converging sides 31 is stamped outand caused to project upwardly terminating in the tit 32.

The other leg structure may consist of the side legs 33 and the base 35.The base 35 continues in the upturned portion 36 which has an opening 37to receive the tit 32.

The downwardly and inwardly turned portion 39 engages the end projection44 of the member E of FIG. 4.

The assembly is achieved by springing apart the portions 36 and 39 ofthe upwardly convex portion 38 and placing the projection 44 and tit 32between the sprung apart portions 36 and 39 so that when they springback, the tit 32 and projection 44 will engage in the openings 37 and45.

When assembled together the unit will have a structure as indicated inFIG. 6 with the tit 32 projecting through the opening 37 and thedownturned portion 39 having an underturned element 46 under the end atof the leg structure E. The portion 36 will project downwardly and underthe cross leg 27 and the two legs will meet at their end portions 28-.

When one finger is placed under the downturned portion 40, as indicatedby the arrow 42, and pressure is applied downwardly as indicated by thearrow 43, the lower leg structure F will be moved downwardly to theposition indicated by the dot and dash lines in FIG. 6.

To provide that the structure will more certainly stay together afterassembly, the projection 44 will extend rearwardly from the end 41 ofbase portion of the leg structure E and will project through the opening45 in the downwardly curved portion 39 of the bowed structure 38. Thiswill assure that the legs E and F when once resiliently connectedtogether will not spread. The tongue structure 30 may also be caused toextend reversely, as indicated in the structure of FIG. 6a. In FIG. 6a,the tongue 55 is stamped upwardly from the metal '56 of the basestructure 57. It will extend above the slot or opening 58 in the endstructure 59. The end structure 59 also has a groove and tongueengagement 60.

When this arrangement is assembled, a device as indicated in FIG. 611will be formed and in this case, the other leg structure 61 will have anupwardly extending loop 62 with an opening 63 engaging the end 64 of theupwardly extending tongue 55. The downwardly extending portion 65 of theloop 62 will then have an opening 66 through which projects theextension 64} forming a permanent connection. Pressure as indicated bythe arrow 67 will then press the lower leg into dot and dash position.

Still another alternative form similar to that of FIGS. 4 to 6b will bein the form shown in FIGS. 7 to 9.

In this structure there will be two leg stampings G and H. G has theside legs 75 and the end piece 76 with the base portion 77 having a slot78 and a reversely turned portion 79 with an upwardly extending portion80 terminating in the tit 81.

The other leg structure H will consist of the two side members 82 withthe central opening 83 terminating at the ends 84. The reduced widthneck 85 terminates in the looped portion 36 having the upwardlyascending portion 87 with an opening 83 and a descending portion 89 witha slot 90.

In assembly the junction portion 91 of the leg H will extend downthrough the opening 78 in the leg structure G. The bent portion 79 willextend through the slot 99 and the descending portion 89 and itsupwardly projecting portion will be locked by the tit 81 fitting in theopening 88.

In the structure of 'FIGS. 7 to 9, by applying pressure as indicated at91 the lower leg H will be pressed downwardly as indicated by the arrow92.

In the structure of FIGS. and 11 there is shown a one-piece structurehaving the side legs 100 and the central leg 101 which join together at102. The legs are separated by the slots 103 and there will be a hump,

or elevated portion 104 by which the middle leg 161 will projectadjacent the base 102 above the slightly bulged down portions 105 of theside legs 10%. The end 106 of the central leg 181 will project upwardlypast the end portions 107 of the outer or side legs 1%.

To summarize, either with the one-piece construction of FIGS. 1 to 3 and10 and 11, or with the two-piece construction of FIGS. 4 to 9, one legstructure will have a bulged portion extending reversely upwardly pastthe other leg structure through an opening or slotted portion formed inthe other leg structure. For example, in the embodiment shown the bulgeD of the lower leg structure B of FIGS, 1-3 will project reverselyupwardly through the slot 12, and the same is also true of the reverselybulged portion 104 of FIGS. 10 md 11 which projects upwardly beyond thelegs lldtl.

In the two-piece constructions the bulged portion 38 will project upthrough the opening or recess 24 of the upper leg structure so thatdownward pressure, as indicated at 46, will spread the legs.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 6a and 6b the bulged portion 62 will beprojected upwardly through the opening 53 in the base 56 of the upperleg structure so that pressure 67 will separate the legs.

In the structure of FIGS. 7 to 9 the bulged portion 86 will extendupwardly through the recess or opening 78 in the base portion of thelower leg structure G, so that downward pressure 91 will open or spreadthe legs.

In each instance downward pressure will separate the legs and all needbe done is to press the base end of the clip between the fingers.

The resiliency in the embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 9 is supplied by thetongues 30 in FIG. 6, 55 in FIG. 6b and 353 in FIG. 9, in conjunctionwith the bulged portions 38 of FIG. 6, 62 of FIG. 6b and 36 of FIG. 9.The latching arrangements accomplished by the connections of 32 and 44in the openings 37 and 45 are substantially the same as thoseaccomplished by the engagement of the elements 31 in the opening 88 andthe projection of the tongue 89 through the slot 90 in FIG. 9.

The tongue 55 of FIG. 6b by its end portion 64 will engage the bulgedportion 62 and this engagement will be firmly held together by the taboil which will project into the base of the other leg structure 68.

It is thus apparent that the applicant has provided a simple, easilyconstructed one-piece and two-piece clip which will be readily engagedby the fingers to separate the legs by merely pressing on the bulgedelements of the base portion. Regardless of whether the clip is formedof a one-piece or two-piece construction it will not be necessary to prythe legs apart and the resiliency of the members themselves will resultin firmly gripping the hair while readily permitting a separation of theclamping legs. Although the legs are shown as being narrow and elongatedin FIG. 1 or as having separated portions, in FIGS. 4, 5, 7 and 8, or asbeing telescoped in FIG. 10, it is to be understood that these legstructures may be varied with any one of the leg structures being usedin any particular base construction.

The important feature of the present invention is that the back hingeconnection portions of the one-piece construction as indicated at 16 inFIG. 3, and 102, I04, in FIG. 11, as well as in the two-piececonstruction, as indicated at lib-4t in FIG. 6 and 69-6-2 in FIG. 6B and86-90 in FIG. 9, will form a smooth surface substantially withoutcrevices which may be removed through the hair or hairnet withoutentangling and without catching either upon the hair or any materialwhich may be used, such as a hairnet, to cover the hair.

It will be noted that in all of the constructions Whether one-piece, asshown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, l0 and 11, or twopiece, as shown in FIGS. 4 to9, the jaw or prong elements at their pivotal connections do not rock onone another but are independently removable upon pressure between thefingers on an up bulge and a down bulge which form convenient fingerengaging recesses which will not slip from between the fingers whenslippery hair treating fluids have wetted the fingers.

Moreover, the legs, such as A and B in FIG. 1, will be correctly alignedby the slotted connection as indicated at 12-D in FIG. 3 or 104, 105 inFIG. 11, with the result that the prong portions will not tend to wobblesidewise or be subject to lateral displacement.

Referring to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, namely,H63. 1 to 3, it will be noted that the legs A and B are not offset fromone another but are directly opposed in the final clip as shown at FIG.3 with the legs directly contacting each other as indicated in FIG. 3 atas a result of the resilient action of the double S-shaped or s-shapedhinge construction illustrated at the right of FIG. 8 and formed fromthe central portions C and D of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Between the narrow legs A and B is the bulged or bent portion D whichforms the upper side of the 8 or 8 when the clip is in the final form ofFIG. 3 said bulging D being relatively narrow but of the same width asthe legs A and B and projecting through the slot 12 to form a smi-circular upwardly projecting member which may be pressed downwardlyby the finger at 18.

It will be noted that the side portion 11 containing the slot 12 forms adownwardly bowed portion at 19 forming part of the lower side of the Sor 8 which may be pressed upwardly as indicated by the arrow 17 to openthe legs of the clip to the dot and dash position shown at the lowerside of FIG. 3.

The base portion which forms the hinge gives resiliency as a result ofsaid 8 or S with the interfitting slotted connection of the bulging Dthrough the slot 112.

This S-shaped or 8-shaped junction portion give a maximum curvaturewhich gives resiliency to the structure.

An important feature of the present invention is the fact that the hairwill not tend to catch on any sharp edges or projecting portions butwhen placed between the legs A and B will be stopped by the end of thecurve of the bulged portion D and cannot enter the openings of theS-structure or the 8-structure.

The S-structure and the 8-structure are formed from the curves as shownin FIGS. 1 and 2 which are bent into the final S-shape or 8-shape whichis a bending process which forms the final clip of FIG. 3 from thedevice of FIGS. 1 and 2.

While there has been herein described a preferred form of the invention,it should be understood that the same may be altered in details and inrelative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of theinvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed:

What is claimed is:

1. A resilient integral one-piece hair clip having superimposed narrowelongated upper and lower legs, each leg having two ends, said legsconnected at one end by a hinge structure and free at the other end,said legs being in resilient contact at their free ends and divergingtowards their connected ends, said hinge structure being a resilient,8-shaped, bent portion having a central short longitudinally extendingclosed slot and a semi-circular, upwardly bulged portion projectingthrough said slot, the portion of said clip containing said slot beingbulged downwardly and said bent portion including a circular end loopbeyond said upwardly and downwardly bulged portions, finger pressure onsaid bulged portions serving to open said legs and the resiliency ofsaid bent portion serving to close said legs.

2. A non-entangling, resiliently closed hair clip having upper and lowerlegs, each leg having two ends, said upper and lower legs beingsuperimposed, terminating at one end at the same point in resilientcontact, and connected at the other end by an integral hingeconstruction which biases and presses said legs together at said one endand which legs are to be separated to permit insertion therebetween of alock of hair by opposite downward and upward pressures on said hingeconstruction and to grasp said lock of hair when released, said hingeconstruction being composed of a widened integral portion connectingsaid legs, said widened portion having a central short longitudinallyextending closed slot slightly wider than the width of said legs andpositioned closer to said one end of one leg than said one end of theother leg, the adjacent portion of said other leg being bent into acircle and into a slightly larger diameter half-circle, whichhalf-circle projects upwardly through said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,500,391 Weaver Mar. 14, 1950 2,558,225 Solomon June 26, 1951 2,601,435Einhorn et al. June 24, 1952 2,622,604 Buckner Dec. 23, 1952 2,638,103Fuscaldo May 12, 1953 2,638,908 Schildt May 19, 1953 2,699,790 PorteousJan. 18, 1955 2,795,233 Zore June 11, 1957

1. A RESILIENT INTEGRAL ONE-PIECE HAIR CLIP HAVING SUPERIMPOSED NARROWELONGATED UPPER AND LOWER LEGS, EACH LEG HAVING TWO ENDS, SAID LEGSCONNECTED AT ONE END BY A HINGE STRUCTURE AND FREE AT THE OTHER END,SAID LEGS BEING IN RESILIENT CONTACT AT THEIR FREE ENDS AND DIVERGINGTOWARDS THEIR CONNECTED ENDS, SAID HINGE STRUCTURE BEING A RESILIENT,8-SHAPED, BENT PORTION HAVING A CENTRAL SHORT LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDINGCLOSED SLOT AND A SEMI-CIRCULAR, UPWARDLY BULGED PORTION PROJECTINGTHROUGH SAID SLOT, THE PORTION OF SAID CLIP CONTAINING SAID SLOT BEINGBULGED DOWNWARDLY AND SAID BENT PORTION INCLUDING A CIRCULAR END LOOPBEYOND SAID UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY BULGED PORTIONS, FINGER PRESSURE ONSAID BULGED PORTIONS SERVING TO OPEN SAID LEGS AND THE RESILIENCY OFSAID BENT PORTION SERVING TO CLOSE SAID LEGS.